What’s in a (new) name? A lot of good, apparently.
Shoe Station, formerly known as Shoe Carnival, is donating $1 million to the Two Ten Footwear Foundation under its newly created charitable arm, Shoe Station Group Foundation. The three-year pledge will fund college scholarships and emergency disaster relief for footwear industry families.
“Having served on Two Ten’s board, I’ve witnessed firsthand how this foundation supports footwear families through disaster and opens doors to education,” states Shoe Station CEO Mark Worden. “When someone loses their home in a hurricane or gets the chance to be the first in their family to attend college, Two Ten delivers impact that changes lives. This $1 million commitment reflects our belief that investing in our industry’s people is fundamental to who we are as a company.”
The commitment includes $100,000 to establish the Shoe Station Endowed Scholarship, which will provide up to $4,000—renewable for up to four years—to help footwear employees and their dependents pursue higher education. The remaining $900,000 will fund emergency relief grants to help footwear families recovering from natural disasters. The three-year pledge will be delivered as annual contributions from 2026 through 2028.
“We are deeply grateful to Mark Worden and the Shoe Station Group Foundation for this transformative commitment to our mission of lifting lives in the footwear industry,” says Shawn Osborne, CEO of Two Ten Footwear Foundation. “This generous gift will directly impact footwear employees and their families, helping them recover from disaster, pursue higher education, and build stronger futures.” Adds Joe Preston, CEO of New Balance and Board Chair of Two Ten Footwear Foundation: “It’s always meaningful when leaders step up to support the people who drive our industry forward. Mark and his team exemplify the generosity of our footwear community and their investment in the wellbeing of footwear employees and their families makes us all proud. Acts of philanthropy like this not only make it possible for Two Ten to have real impact but demonstrate the kind of leadership and collaboration that make our industry thrive.”
Shoe Carnival has been a partner in Two Ten‘s mission to lift lives in the footwear industry for more than 30 years, having contributed over $1 million to Two Ten prior to this latest commitment. Two Ten serves the nation’s 330,000 footwear employees through financial assistance, scholarships, professional development, and community programs. In its most recent fiscal year, the organization provided more than $1.1 million in disaster relief to footwear families recovering from crises, including rapid response support following Hurricane Helene, which impacted employees across the Southeast.
Mark Worden, CEO of the newly named Shoe Station and Two Ten board member
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